Included:
*Round-trip train tickets;
*4 star Hotels with daily western breakfasts;
*Meals in accordance with that listed on the itinerary.
*Professional local guide & driver;
*Private air-conditioned car or van for transportation;
*Admission of the first gate;
*Two bottles of mineral water per day.

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Beijing-Shanghai-Nanjing-Suzhou-5-Day-Tour
on High-speed Railway

Highlights:

*Visit one of the world's great cities, one that is bursting at the seams with culture and excitement. China's largest city, Shanghai is China's economic center and noted for its vast selection of shopping and dining

*Described by Marco Polo as “Heaven on Earth”, explore the beautifully preserved classical gardens and temples of Suzhou, which some consider to be a sort of “Chinese Venice”.

*Experience the ancient republican capital of Nanjing, known for it's still-standing city wall and its impressive monuments to a bygone age.

*This makes for a great Beijing getaway! With the new high-speed rail, traveling has never been cheaper and easier, as the travel time to Shanghai and its surrounding cities has been nearly cut in two. The price of a rail ticket is dramatically cheaper (and less of a hassle) than flying.

(B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)

Day 1: Beijing-Shanghai (by bullet train) (D)

You will take China's newest and the world's fastest bullet express train to China's largest and most cosmopolitan city, Shanghai. You'll experience China's world-leading high-speed train technology, which is now participating in the bidding for the U.S. California Intro-State High-speed Railroad Project from Sacramento to Los Angeles. Your local English-speaking guide will meet you whenever you arrive at the Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station. For your stay in Shanghai you’ll be lodging at a 3 or 4 star hotel (for normal tours) or a 5 star hotel (for deluxe tours).

You will then be taken to your hotel, and then you'll have dinner at a local Shanghai restaurant, where you can experience Shanghai cuisine,which is remarkably lighter and sweeter than most other Chinese dishes. Then we’ll go to the most recognizable landmark of Shanghai, the Bund. The Bund is a waterfront embankment and has been regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years. It affords marvelous views across the river of the Pudong district and its numerous towers. The most famous and attractive sight which is at the west side of the Bund are the 52 various buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. At night the Bund and the surrounding skyscrapers are all lit up, making for a fabulous night on the town!

Day 2: Shanghai (B, L)

Following breakfast in the hotel we'll head out to Yuyuan Garden. Yuyuan Garden is a famed classical garden, and even though it may be small, it contains numerous pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters, and all have unique characteristics. There are six main scenic areas in the garden: Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall and the Inner Garden. Each area features several scenic spots within its borders.

Then we will pay a visit to Shanghai Old Street. Hidden behind the modern tall buildings and deep in those squiggly lanes and by-streets where the old fashioned living ways of Shanghai people still exist, Shanghai Old Street southwest of Yuyuan Garden is the one most worth visiting to find the old culture and customs. The street is over a hundred years old. The earliest private banks, jewelry stores, opera towers, hongs, taverns and teahouses in Shanghai were here originally. The restaurants, opera towers and teahouses are the definite highlights in the old street.

After experiencing the charm of the old street, we will take a time machine from old Shanghai into the city’s glittering present and future, which the Jin Mao Tower is a prime example. Being the fourth tallest building of the world and the second tallest building in China, Jin Mao Tower is located in the center of Lujiazui Finance and Trade Districts in Pudong. The architect, Adrian D. Smith, of this skyscraper ingeniously combined the elements of traditional Chinese culture with the newest architectural styles of the time, which makes Jin Mao Tower one of the best-constructed buildings in China. The tower’s observation decks give you an almost bird’s eye view of the city’s rapidly rising skyline.

The Shanghai Museum our next stop today, is a large museum of ancient Chinese art. The museum style and presentation surrounds visitors with artifacts demonstrating ancient wisdom and philosophy. The exterior design of the round dome and the square base symbolizes the ancient idea of a round heaven and a square land. The museum is divided into eleven galleries and three exhibition halls. The eleven Galleries cover most of the major categories of Chinese art: Ancient Bronze, Ancient Ceramics, Paintings, Calligraphy, Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Jade, Coins, Ming and Qing Furniture, Seals, and Minority Nationalities. The museum is a wonderful primer on ancient Chinese culture, and is a must-see when coming to Shanghai.

Our next destination today is the Jade Buddha Temple. In 1882, an old temple was built to keep two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Fortunately the jade Buddha statues were saved and a new temple was built on the present site in 1928. It was named the Jade Buddha Temple. Although the history of the Jade Buddha Temple is not very long, the old-time and classical architectural style makes the temple unique and inimitable in this modern city.

Your first full day in Shanghai will conclude with a walk down Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s premier shopping street. Open-air bars, abstract sculptures, and lingering sounds from street musicians enhance evening strolls. A trackless sightseeing train provides a comfortable tour of the night-transformed pedestrian street. Flashing neon signs illuminate the magnificent buildings and spangle the night skyline of this lively city.

The rest of the evening can be spent at your own leisure.

Day 3: Shanghai-Suzhou (by car) (B, L)

After breakfast we'll make the short drive to Suzhou (1.5 hrs), which is just outside Shanghai.The city is renowned for its beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens which have contributed to its status as a great tourist attraction. It is widely known as the “Chinese Venice”.

Our first visit in Suzhou will be to the the Humble Administrator’s Garden (known in Chinese as Zhengzhou), which is probably the most beautiful and famed of Suzhou’s classical gardens. Being the most representative of Chinese classical gardens, the garden was first constructed during the Ming Dynasty. The garden focuses on a central pond with pavilions, terraces, chambers, and towers. Located nearby, the garden is divided into three parts: the eastern, middle and western parts. Don't miss the Garden Museum - actually don't miss any of this lovely place. You should wear comfortable shoes, as there's a lot of walking here.

Also known as the “land of silk”, Suzhou has long been famed as China leading center of silk producing and manufacturing, and even hosts a silk festival every year. We’ll head for the No.1 Silk Factory to see the technical process of how silk is made, from silk swarm raising, cocoon sorting, cocoon boiling and cocoon reeling, rewinding and packing. The high-grade silk produced in this factory is the best raw material for the product of high-quality silk fabrics.

We will then head over to the Panmen Gate. Lying to the southwest of Suzhou, Panmen Gate was built on the base of some historic sites by using the architectural structure of classical gardens. It is famous for its numerous historic relics and abundant human landscapes and has been listed as the National AAAA Tourist Area. Now, Panmen Gate has become a tourist resort showing the unique historic and cultural features of Suzhou. The scenery area, which is centered on Panmen City Gate consists of many scenic spots. Amongst them, Ruiguang Pagoda, Panmen City Gate and Wumen Bridge are praised as 'three fine sceneries'.

We'll cap our day off in Suzhou with a cruise on the Grand Canal of the Jiangsu River. The river houses and red lanterns along the way along with the sounds of crickets will transport you back in time to a far simpler and remote China. You will then be taken to your hotel in Suzhou, where you will spend the night.

Day 4: Suzhou-Nanjing (by car) (B, L)

Following breakfast in the hotel we'll make the 1.5 hr drive to the nearby city of Nanjing.

We'll then head out to see one of the modern marvels of engineering at the Yangtze River Bridge. The Great Bridge over the Yangtze River in Nanjing is not only a striking example of post-Revolutionary art and engineering, but the story behind it is a source of pride for people throughout China, and especially those in Nanjing. It is the first modern bridge completely built by Chinese people. After the 1949 Revolution, China worked closely with the Soviet Union, and the Soviets provided many technical advisors and engineers.

Unfortunately, relations between the two countries deteriorated in the early 1960's, and the USSR brought all of its engineers home. Unwilling to give up, Chinese engineers managed to overcome the challenge and create this monumental and impressive bridge. The huge piers of the bridge are capped with towers topped by giant glass sculptures representing red flags surging forward, vividly recording the enthusiasm and patriotism of 1960's China.

Our next stop is arguably the biggest highlight of Nanjing, the the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat Sen (also known as Zhongshan Ling). Dr. Sun was the first president of the Republic of China and one of the leading organizers of the struggle to create a modern republic in China. The impressive memorial was built in the 1920's. Its architecture is accentuated by its splendid natural setting on the forested slopes of Zijin Mountain on the outskirts of Nanjing, its buildings made of white stone with dark blue roof tiles. We'll then have a Chinese lunch at a nearby restaurant.

In the afternoon we'll have a relaxing stroll at Xuanwu Lake. Situated at the foot of Mt. Zhongshan, Xuanwu Lake is a beautiful scenic spot as well as containing one of the three most famous lakes in Nanjing. Surrounding it are Circumvallation, Mt. Jiuhua, and Jiming Temple. The lake covers an are of 444 hectares with a coastline of kilometers in circumferences. The history of Xuanwu can be traced back to the Pre-Qing period (21st century BC-221BC). According to legend, in the Southern Dynasty a black dragon was seen in the lake. Chinese Daoists believed that the black dragon appeared as the uniform of a turtle and snake, called Xuanwu. Hence, the lake was called Xuanwu Lake. Another legend stated that when Sun Quan, the King of Eastern Wu Kingdom settled down in the region, he brought water in and made this lake. Geological studies show that the lake was actually formed by the movements of the geological plates when Mt. Yanshan was formed.

We'll the go see that great sage Confucius at his temple. Confucius (Kong Fuzi) who taught philosophy in China 2,500 years ago is considered the most important figure in the shaping of ancient Chinese civilization as well as the cultures of the countries of Japan, Vietnam, and Korea. The Confucius Temple is south of the city’s central district. There was a temple that was built in the year 1034 during the Song Dynasty period on the banks of the Qinhuai River. During the past millennium, it was renovated, reconstructed, and enlarged so that it became a large complex. It was used by Confucian scholars. Next to it was the Jiangnan Gongyuan that was the largest examination area for people taking the imperial examinations and the Xue Gong that was the Qing Imperial Academy for training mandarins to govern the vast empire.

For dinner, we will go to a local restaurant, and you can try a meal of Jiangsu cuisine, named after the province Nanjing is located in, and the specialty of the region. We'll cap off your night with a pleasant cruise on the Qinhuai River. You will spend the night in a hotel in Nanjing.

Day 5: Nanjing-Beijing (by high-speed train) (B)

After breakfast in the hotel, you will be taken to Nanjing South Railway Station and you will take the new high-speed bullet train back to Beijing (approx. 4 hours).